And There Were Three in the Family
by leftmywingshome
Summary: It's impossible to look at her now and think that there had ever been any other choice. But there had been and Daryl is still conflicted two years later. His girls are going to change that though. A one-shot from "Home Isn't Always A Place'.


**A/N Just a little peek into Daryl and Beth's life after Charlie comes along… Daryl is still holding onto past hurts and he really needs to let it go. The title is taken from Schoolhouse Rock's song 'Three Is A Magic Number' but the lyrics here are from Elizabeth Mitchell's version on her album, 'You Are My Little Bird'.**

Daryl hates it when either of his girls are out of sorts. This time it just so happens to be his little one. She's grumpy and fussy and nothing Beth does seems to make Charlie feel any better. There's no fever or runny nose, no bumps or bruises… Beth seems to think it's her teeth. Two-year-old molars. Daryl thought they'd made it through the horrors of teething but apparently not.

He's been watching from afar and running to the store for juice pops, the pharmacy for more homeopathic teething tabs and even some new age place for an amber teething necklace that he thinks is basically bullshit but Beth asked and well he still can't deny her anything.

It also feels good to be able to do something, anything for Charlie. His daughter came into the world after he'd made the toughest choice he ever had to make- he chose Beth's life over his unborn baby and he knows… he fucking knows he'd do it again if he had too.

_Save them both doc_

Charlie... she's here and she's his and he loves her, loves her something fierce. But he can't quite make peace with the fact that he did what he did, that he chose how he chose. And how now that she's here he can't imagine a life that she isn't in.

So he does everything he can to atone for it, this choice that still isn't a choice because Beth is his girl, his first girl and without her, he's got nothing. There's also a teeny tiny little place inside of him that doesn't feel like he deserves this, any of it. Not the gummy toothless grins, not the way Charlie's tiny brand new hand wrapped around his finger and held on like he might try and run, not the way she fits between him and Beth on nights when she's restless, like a puzzle piece that they never knew was missing until she was there tucked between them leaving just enough room for Daryl to lean over and kiss Beth, make her giggle and half-heartedly push him away.

_You wake her up and you're sleeping on the couch Mister Dixon! _He's heard that more than once. It's an empty threat and they both know it.

The first month after she was born Beth would bring Charlie into their bed to nurse. She'd curl up her back pressed to Daryl's chest with the baby at her breast and it was like a perfect cocoon. Only he didn't feel like he belonged. He felt like he was intruding. It wasn't a good feeling. It hurt, a deep aching hurt that was like being lonely only he wasn't alone. He offered to go to the couch or the shop or anywhere else until she set him straight like she always did like she always does.

"I'm here cause you're here Daryl… I wanna be right here with you. Does it bother you, I mean watching this… I-" He pressed a finger to her lips and scooted her back against him. Then rested his chin on her shoulder and marveled at the way Charlie instinctively knew what to do. The fact that Beth's body that did things to him, amazing things, also gave their daughter everything she needed to grow and thrive left him dumbfounded. His wife was some kind of magic.

She fell in love with him and married him and they made a baby together. And so he does his best to push those nagging feelings deep down where Beth can't see them and he, for the most part, can't feel them. And he loves his girls with everything he has.

They're his whole world. He never knew that anything could be better than the life he and Beth had together until Charlie came along.

Friday is the one day out of the week that Daryl works from home. He catches up with jobs he can do in the shop or helps Merle, anything to be close to home. Beth teaches a class at the community college and Charlie goes to preschool to play with her friends and it gives them both piece of mind knowing one parent is a phone call away.

Daryl is ordering parts for a job when he gets a text from Beth asking him to pick up Charlie. She was fine at breakfast, better than she had been all week. But apparently, she's been fussy and has a runny nose.

_She's probably fine but I would feel better if she's with you. Is that okay? Are you busy?_

Of course, it's fine and it wouldn't even matter if he was busy. This is why they worked their schedule this way. One of them is always there for Charlie.

He's never picked her up before, at least not by himself. And has only gone with Beth once since Charlie started school a couple of months ago. He's kind of excited to do it on his own. She's been a real daddy's girl lately, wanting to be where he is, see what he's doing, all up in his business like she has every right to be, which as far as he's concerned she does. She sat in his lap while he gave his bike a tune-up last weekend and probably asked 'whas' that?' a million times. And he ate it up. One day he'll teach her to ride. Maybe.

He rounds the corner to the preschool and when he sees the flashing lights of an ambulance in the little parking lot his heart stutters. This is a terror he has never known. Because he doesn't know. Not for sure. But his gut is telling him to get in there now. His intuition never steers him in the wrong direction even though right now he's hoping like hell it is.

There's a gurney and EMT's and a lot of commotion but he hears it, a feeble cry. His baby girl. He heads straight for her disregarding everyone around him.

"Mr. Dixon-" He hears his name but doesn't react, doesn't acknowledge the fact that he's even heard them, all he sees is a tiny little body that belongs to him and apparently she sees him too because she starts wailing right then, holding out her little arms.

"Dada, dada!"

"You're her father?" an EMT asks. Daryl wants to punch him. Of course, he's her father, she's fucking calling him dada, holding out her arms for him. Who else would he fucking be?

"Yeah," he grunts and when he gets to the gurney he reaches for her.

"Sir we need you to leave her lying down. We're taking her to-"

"What the hell is going on? What happened?" He looks around for Karen, it was her that said his name and she's right there at the foot of the gurney one hand on Charlie's foot. And somehow that's sort of comforting.

"Daryl she was sleeping and she had a seizure. I called 911 and Beth, she said you were coming…"

"A seizure? Why?"

"We're going to transport her and a doctor will be able to give you some answers." They start asking questions about allergies and medications and all Daryl can do is answer them and keep one hand on Charlie who is content to lie down as long as her daddy's hand is on her tummy and she can hold onto his thumb.

"Okay, Mr. Dixon if you'd like to follow us in your vehicle-"

"Nah, I ain't leaving her." There's three of them and they glance at one another and seem to come to some sort of silent agreement.

"You don't have to. We'll make room." Charlie's asleep by now and Daryl watches as they start strapping her in.

"Beth is already on her way. Please let me know when you can how Charlie's doing. She was fine all morning, just a tad fussy. Then she was napping and she was feverish and the seizure started." Daryl nods and follows the gurney as they head out to the ambulance.

Rick's climbing out of his cruiser as they walk out and he hurries over to Daryl.

"What's going on?"

"I'dunno, Charlie had a seizure." Rick looks over at the EMT who seems to be in charge.

"You transporting to Peachtree?" he asks and when the EMT nods Rick continues, "I'll go ahead of you." Resting a hand on Daryl's shoulder he gives him a small smile. "It's gonna be okay. I'll meet you there." Then he's gone and Daryl's climbing into the back of the ambulance and it's eerily familiar and he hates it. Nothing good can come of this he thinks, but it had last time. Beth was okay and Charlie came and it was okay. More than okay.

"We're going to start an IV in case they need it in the emergency room." Again eerily familiar only this time he feels completely and totally alone. Beth's not here and Charlie is little more than a baby. She can't tell him what's wrong, can't give him anything to hang onto. She squirms under his hand and then her tiny body tenses up and starts shaking.

"She's seizing." The EMT in the passenger seat climbs into the back and the driver picks up the radio notifying the hospital. Daryl moves his hand even though he doesn't want to and he keeps his eye on his little girl even though he can barely stand to see her like this. It's not Charlie. Her little arms are stiff and her hands are balled into fists. She's drooling and as it rolls down her cheek he can't handle anymore he reaches out and wipes it with the sheet covering her then leaves his hand there, finger brushing her cheek. She's limp, it's over, probably only lasted a few seconds but for Daryl, it felt like falling with nothing to grab onto. He watches the men as they make notes and take Charlie's temperature again.

"Febrile, " one EMT barks and the driver repeats this info into his radio.

"Possible febrile seizure. Temp is…"

"101"

Daryl tunes out as the driver relays Charlie's vitals a second time and instead looks down at his little girl. He cups her tiny face in his hand and leans forward murmuring her name.

" 'S okay baby girl, 's gonna be okay." He really has no idea if that's true or not and the words he whispers to Charlie are more for himself than her.

"Mr. Dixon sometimes a spike in temperature can cause seizures. That's especially true in healthy young children."

" 'S that what this is?"

"I can't tell you for sure. It's a possibility though."

The EMT's roll Charlie off the ambulance and hand her over to nurses that are waiting. Information is exchanged and they move her into a room and off the gurney onto another too big bed and Daryl has to stop himself from pushing them all aside and doing it himself. It's all routine, but it's their routine and not his and his anxiety and nerves have had it.

"Sit." A nurse gives him a stool and he sits right beside Charlie's head. No one asks him any questions so he keeps quiet and watches his daughters face. It soft with sleep for now but another nurse rolls a cart up on the other side of the bed and gives him an apologetic smile.

"Hi Mr. Dixon, I'm Liz and unfortunately I'm going to have to take some blood." She's pulling on latex gloves. "Oh hi doctor."

Another man, how many fucking people can fit in this tiny space anyway, Daryl wonders. The doctor greets Daryl and listens to Charlie's lungs and heart, moves her arms and legs around and asks Daryl a few questions, some he already answered in the ambulance. Daryl's attention is focused on his daughter watching every move the doctor makes and appreciating the fact that the man is being so gentle. He wonders if the guy has kids of his own and if he ever hates his job. Sick kids, hurt kids, kids like himself when he was little. No fucking way would Daryl ever want to be in his shoes. The doctor shakes his hand and he's gone leaving Daryl with Liz the nurse with the needles.

"I'll apologize now because I'm sure this is going to hurt a little and wake her up," Liz says. She's right on both counts. Charlie squirms at first then opens her eyes and howls. She's tiny but man she's got a voice. It breaks his heart and it's painful to hear but he endures it, grips her tiny hand in his big rough one and promises her it's almost over.

Once it is Daryl scoops Charlie up in his arms daring the other nurses to deny him this. They smile and the older one, the one who gave him the stool nods and points to a recliner which they must have brought in while Charlie was screaming. He doesn't much care what she thinks, he's got his little girl and he leans back in the chair with her resting on his chest. He presses his lips against her temple and whispers to her calming her down. The nurses clear out and it's just the two of them.

She's not crying for her mama, she's content to be with him. He's enough, he's what she wanted the minute she spotted him in the ambulance.

" 'S ok, dadas gotcha now." Her tiny body shudders against him and she whimpers as her thumb slips into her mouth and her other little hand curls around the back of his neck, fingers finding his hair. There's a lump in Daryl's throat as he feels her settle. This is something she's only ever done with Beth. When she's tired or fussy she sucks her thumb and plays with Beth's hair. Sometimes it's the only thing that calms her.

He never thought he could do it, never thought she'd trust him or feel safe enough in his arms like she does her mama's. But he's doing it.

"Sing dada…"

Oh shit.

Beth sings too. Another way she wields her mama magic. He was always mesmerized by her dancing around the house singing and humming as she cooked or cleaned and then Charlie came along and everything became a song and he watched them both, baby in the crook of her arm or balanced on one hip singing and laughing and they'd spin around him, try to get him to join in but he was content to watch.

Beth isn't here so he can't just watch. Charlie tilts her head back to look up at him and damned if her eyes aren't a haunting, familiar, deep dark blue, so much like his own, but so tired after all she's been through. And those eyes, imploring him, make it impossible to do anything but what she wants right now.

Daryl can't carry a tune, he's not even sure he can remember any of the words of the songs Charlies loves.

There is one though, one that Beth's been singing since they brought her home from the hospital and he knows the words by heart and sings along in his head because it's his favorite.

"Dada… sing." Bossy, even though she's feeling bad. She inherited that from her aunt Maggie and uncle Merle for sure.

"Okay... okay…" Groaning he starts out soft slowly picking up momentum. All the time hoping with everything going on on the other side of the curtains no one hears him.

_A man and a woman had a little baby_

_Yeah they did_

_And there were three in the family_

_And that's a magic number_

The curtain flutters and Beth is there. She's smiling, but her eyes are red from crying, probably the entire drive here and that's when he realizes he doesn't have his phone, left it sitting on the table in his hurry to get to the daycare.

Fuck. But she's smiling and she squeezes into the recliner next to him looking at him in wonder.

"You're singing… our song, she loves that one… how did you-"

"I pay attention… damn woman I been watching you and her dance all over that damn house singing that song and, it's… I like it," he mumbles.

"It's us, Daryl. You and me and-" Charlie picks that moment to let out another shuddering sigh and it wrecks Beth like it wrecked him. "Oh, baby girl…" Leaning over Charlie her head on the other side of Daryl's chest she kisses her soft cheek, rests her lips against her forehead, seeing if she's warm. He pays attention. To everything. Then she finishes the song, the last verse, the one he loves the most.

_Two people who love you had a little baby_

_Yeah they did_

_They had three in the family_

_And that's a magic number_

"Ya wanna hold her?" he asks but she shakes her head and looks up at him.

"No, I don't want to wake her. She's fine right there in her daddy's arms. It's my favorite place to be." Her smile soothes his frayed nerves. He needed her, always does but more than anything he wants her with him. They do this family thing together. "I tried to call and when you didn't answer..." Her face scrunches up then and the real tears come. The scared tears and the relieved tears and he manages to slide his arm around her and pull her in close even though it's awkward with all of them sitting in this one chair.

"I left my phone at home, fuck Beth, 'm sorry… I was tryin' ta hurry-"

"It's okay… I knew that. Karen called back a few minutes after I talked to you and that's when she told me that Charlie had a seizure and that they'd called 911. There was road work and traffic was slow… the only thing that kept me sane was knowing that you were with her otherwise-"

"Me? The asshole who had ta choose whether or not she lived or died and…" Biting his lip he looks away from her, stares at the wall and fights the tears he's been trying to keep in check for Charlie's sake.

"Daryl what are you…" It must have dawned on her then, what he meant. Not today, not this… but that choice he made a little over two years ago. Shaking her head she blinks fast, inconsistent, no pattern. He knows it, her tell, she's gonna cry again. He reaches for her and she pulls away. Just leans back but it feels like so much more.

"I won't let you keep doing this Daryl!" She isn't yelling, that's not like Beth and they're in the E.R. with their baby girl but her tone and the set in her jaw, she might as well be yelling.

"Do what?" he feigns because he knows. Even if she's pissed off she's protecting him. Taking care of him when he won't take care of himself.

"I will never hold that choice against you Daryl… you gotta stop holding it against yourself!"

"But what if somethin' had happened, what if-"

"What if they tried to save me and I died too and Charlie and then you'd-"

"Don't say that! Don't-" His voice cracks. She's better at keeping herself under control than he'll ever be but there's a fire in her eyes that burns as bright as the one in his heart. He grits his teeth so hard he tastes blood and he looks down at Charlie curled up in his lap breathing softly, sleeping soundly, safe.

In her daddy's arms.

Beth leans back in and cups his chin raising his face so she can look in his eyes.

"You have to let that go. Please. Daryl look at us, we're a family. There are a million 'what ifs' baby, but this is what is okay? It's me and you and Charlie. You gave me this. And I gave you a choice and I would've stood by you no matter what. I love you and I'd choose you over everything."

"Even now?" he rasps looking at her, leaning into her touch, letting her hold him.

"It's harder now and we're not gonna think about it." Charlie changed everything. But Beth is always gonna be his first girl.

"I was so fuckin' scared Beth… she had that seizure and I couldn't…. Fuck…" He doesn't know how she does it but she manages to wrap her arms around him and rests her lips against his neck. Her warm breath makes him shiver and his body shakes with the force of the sobs he's trying to keep inside.

"Oh Daryl," she whispers. And just her touch, the sound of her voice calms him. Like he did with Charlie. Like she does with Charlie and he does with her. A family. His family. He did good. He hated every second of it, still hates it, but he did good. He can believe that. She fucking believes it every single day. And Beth doesn't lie.

The curtain rustles and a man comes in, the doctor from earlier. Daryl can't remember his name. He'd checked Charlie over even though she'd been sleeping, her little body worn out from the seizures. Asked a bunch of questions and mentioned febrile seizures again, the thing the EMT had mentioned in the ambulance.

"You've got a healthy little girl, Mr. Dixon. Sometimes things happen and we don't know why. We'll check what we can here and then you can follow up with Charlie's pediatrician." Then he'd told Daryl they'd be taking some blood and running a few tests and he'd come back.

"Mr. and Mrs. Dixon?" Beth sits up and wipes her face. "Hey now, no tears allowed. Nothing in Charlie's blood work sends up a red flag. Like I told your husband earlier…"

As Beth listens to the doctor, Doctor Edwards, Daryl holds Charlie closer, runs a finger along her temple. Her soft baby curls are stuck to her cheek from all the tears. With her brown hair and dark blue eyes, she's so much like him. But she sings and dances and smiles like her mama and he can't deny that he's proud of the fact that she looks like him but he loves that she's got some of the best parts of her mama.

Her eyes flutter open and her bottom lip starts to tremble until she sees him.

"Dada?"

"Dada's here baby. Dada's gotcha."

"Mama?"

"Mama's here sweet girl." Beth is back in the chair and his lap touching Charlie, kissing her cheeks and brushing back the stiff curls. She's dying to hold her little girl. Daryl can tell.

"Go on, take her," Daryl says gently.

"Dr. Edwards is coming back, I have to sign the release papers…"

"I got it. Dada's got this." He smirks at her and she laughs and Charlie joins in and all of the hell from before slips into the background. Right now, at this moment, nothing can touch the three of them. His girls. His family.

_~fin_

**A/N Awe… I needed a little fix! And daddy Daryl did the trick! I hope you enjoyed popping back into my HIAAP universe! I sure did! Let me know what you think! Thank you over and over and over for reading, reviewing, commenting... All the favorites and kudos and bookmarks sure do feel nice! I appreciate all of it!**


End file.
